Penalty for rebating, etc.—Procedure for collection

Any person, whether a household goods carrier subject to this chapter, shipper, or consignee, or any officer, employee, agent, or representative thereof, who: (1) Offers, grants, gives, solicits, accepts, or receives any rebate, concession, or discrimination in violation of this chapter; (2) by means of any false statement or representation, or by the use of any false or fictitious bill, bill of lading, receipt, voucher, roll, account, claim, certificate, affidavit, deposition, lease, or bill of sale, or by any other means or device assists, suffers, or permits any person or persons, natural or artificial, to obtain transportation of property subject to this chapter for less than the applicable rate, fare, or charge; or (3) fraudulently seeks to evade or defeat regulation of motor carriers under this chapter is subject to a civil penalty of not more than one hundred dollars for each violation. Each and every violation is a separate and distinct offense, and in case of a continuing violation every day's continuance is a separate and distinct violation. Every act or omission that procures, aids, or abets in the violation is also a violation under this section and subject to the penalty under this section.The penalty under this section is due and payable when the person incurring the penalty receives a notice in writing from the commission describing the violation with reasonable particularity and advising the person that the penalty is due. The commission may, upon a written application received within fifteen days, remit or mitigate any penalty under this section or discontinue any prosecution to recover the penalty upon such terms as the commission in its discretion deems proper. The commission may ascertain the facts on all applications. If the penalty is not paid to the commission within fifteen days after receipt of the notice imposing the penalty, or the application for remission or mitigation is not made within fifteen days after the violator has received notice of the disposition of the application, the attorney general shall bring an action in the name of the state of Washington in the superior court of Thurston county or another county where the violator may do business, to recover the penalty. In all such actions, the procedure and rules of evidence are the same as in an ordinary civil action except as otherwise provided in this section. All penalties recovered under this section must be paid into the state treasury and credited to the public service revolving fund.